Take it off Monday: 5 miles!!

When I started jogging in the fall, I was just doing it for me. I needed and wanted to exercise. It was time away from the chaos of life and time to myself, it was a great outlet for me, physically and emotionally. I started by running half a mile, then a mile, and then a little over a mile and a half... I was thrilled with myself! Everyone kept telling me "you need to train for something!" and I thought "nah! That's just not me!" I was trying to work up to 2 miles on my own and in my own time. I'm not sure what made me sign up for the 10k, but I'm glad I did because on Saturday, I completed a 5 mile run! With a 13 minute per mile pace! I didn't even look at the scale this week, didn't need to because my fitness level played out on that 5 mile course! My ability to run the entire distance at a much quicker pace than the previous weeks - those are the only numbers I need this week!

In January, just shortly after I signed up for the Ukrop's Monument Avenue 10k, I gave a presentation on S.M.A.R.T. Goals to my students. Everyone came up with 2 goals for the Spring Semester. At the end of the presentation, after some students had shared their goals with the rest of the group, a student asked me what my S.M.A.R.T. Goal for the semester was... I told her that by following the YMCA Training Manual, I would like to be able to run 75% of the 10k distance on March 31 - that's 4.65 miles, people! That means, I met and exceeded my goal! That means, hell, I might just run the whole damn thing!

This week I have a 3.5 mile run on Tuesday, a mixed 4.5 miles on Thursday, and a 5.2 miler on Saturday...  

Have a fit week, friends!

Wordless Wednesday: 3 Months and 4 Days

Till I am living here for the week....

With this as my view....

And just in case the beach gets old, you can find me here...

In exactly 3 months and 4 days...



Take it Off Monday: A New "Mile"stone

Last week was a blur... work was crazy and I had some other plans that separated me from the blog. On Tuesday nights, I usually post my Wordless Wednesday post, but I planted myself in my favorite chair, eyes bleary, muscles aching, and stomach satisfied from a delicious Valentine's Day meal and I couldn't make myself do it... so I'll try to do better this week!

What I didn't neglect was my fitness! On Tuesday I ran 3.2 miles and on Thursday I ran 3.5 miles all by myself, in the cold, at 5am... by Thursday, I really had to use some self-motivation skills to pluck myself from my soft, warm bed! "You're just going to make that 4 miler on Saturday that much easier" I told myself as I splashed frigid water from the tap on my face! Once I was out an moving everything was just fine, I settled into a good rythm and by then end of 3.5 I felt as though I could've gone further - that's a good sign! Thursday was also my last run in my Nike's. I had purchased them to walk in about two years ago - they have gotten some use, but I knew I would need something new, especially for running, something like...

These! What better way to embark on my 4 mile milestone than with a fresh pair of Asics! As soon as I slipped them on I knew I had made the right choice. I could instantly feel support in my high arches and on the pads of my foot!

On Saturday morning, I had to coax myself out of bed!More motivational self-talk "The coaches said the the majority of people lose motivation this week, don't be one of them!" I arrived to meet the group just as everyone was gathering for stretches! The 4 miles were long and toward the end we passed right by a Starbucks and a McDonald's - I carried on and just as I felt as though I was hitting a mental blobk where I could go any further... a training coach came out of nowhere and motivated me forward! I finished about 4.2 miles in 1 hour even! Success!

I also noticed some changes on the scale!!

Weight: Between -13 and -15lbs depending on the day. I can definitely see a difference in my thighs and hips and may need to start looking for smaller pants soon!

Mood: Great!

Energy: Pretty exhausted most of the time, hoping to adjust my schedule a little bit for some more rest.

Highs for the week: Running into a friend I hadn't seen in a couple of weeks and her telling me she could see a difference in my appearance! It's sooo encouraging! Dinner out with my girlfriends on Friday night and Coffee and catch-up with my friend after running 4 miles on Saturday!!!

Lows: Just the feeling of being exhausted all.the.time

This Week: Cross train on Monday and Wednesday (pilates, abs, arms), 3 miles on Tuesday, 4 miles on Thursday, and then maybe 4.5 on Saturday - we haven't gotten the email that tells us the Saturday route yet!

Have a fit week, friends!!